So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean. -2 Kings‬ ‭5:14‬ ‭(NASB‬‬)

Naaman was a successful military general in Aram, and God used him to give them victory. But where Naaman did not have victory was with the leprosy that ravaged his skin.

His Israelite servant girl told him that there was a prophet in Israel who could heal him (Elisha), so with his king’s permission, he went with a caravan with lots of money and gifts for the king of Israel.

Later, Naaman heads to Elisha, who tells him through his servant that Naaman must simply dip himself seven times in the waters of the Jordan river to be healed. Naaman was outraged that Elisha didn’t see him, a man of great worldly importance, in person, or even tell him what to do in person!

After urging from his servants to go and do this simple thing Elisha advised, Naaman dipped himself in the Jordan. One…two…three…four…five…six…and nothing. No results. Why even bother with a seventh dip?!?

That seventh dip, like the seventh lap Joshua and the Israelites took around Jericho, was the most important action taken in faith. What was asked made no earthly sense, but instead required faith in the face of reason…and faith was rewarded.

In our own lives, we may be facing challenging seasons and people and circumstances, sometimes that recur. With the past examples of faith we see in Naaman and Joshua, we can hang in there through our trials, because the next time around may be that seventh and final time that we take in faith, so that God may work His blessings to His faithful.